Fuel tanker catches fire in 3 vehicle crash on Route 79 in Marlboro

A Monmouth County Haz-Mat official walks to the rear of a gasoline tanker truck that was one of multiple vehicles involved in an accident on Route 79 in Marlboro, near Old Mill Road, Tuesday, September 11, 2018. (Photo: Thomas P. Costello)Buy Photo

MARLBORO - A three-car crash on Route 79 left one car mangled and set a tanker truck on fire Tuesday afternoon, police said.

Route 79 was closed in both directions between Ryan and East Freehold roads as police worked the scene.

Township police responded at 12:15 p.m. after a blue Honda, a silver Range Rover and a tow truck collided near the intersection of Old Mill Road, Capt. Fred Reck said. No serious injuries were reported.

The force of the crash brought down a nearby utility pole and power line, which energized the tanker truck that was parked on the side of the road. The downed line caused the tanker’s tires to melt and burst into flame, Reck said.

A Monmouth County Haz-Mat official walks to the rear of a gasoline tanker truck that was one of multiple vehicles involved in an accident on Route 79 in Marlboro, near Old Mill Road, Tuesday, September 11, 2018. Thomas P. Costello

A man collects a part from one of the vehicles involved in an accident on Route 79, near Old Mill Road in Marlboro, that involved a gasoline tanker whose tires caught fire Tuesday, September 11, 2018. Thomas P. Costello

Anaise Juarez (left), Matawan, was one of the drivers involved in a multicar accident on Route 79 in Marlboro, near Old Mill Road, Tuesday, September 11, 2018. One of the vehicles involved was a a gasoline tanker whose tires caught fire. Thomas P. Costello

Anaise Juarez, Matawan, was one of the drivers involved in a multicar accident on Route 79 in Marlboro, near Old Mill Road, Tuesday, September 11, 2018. One of the vehicles involved was a a gasoline tanker whose tires caught fire. Thomas P. Costello

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The crash began when a 2014 flatbed-style wrecker tow truck carrying two vehicles and traveling north on Route 79 struck the back of the Honda, which was also traveling north. The collision sent the Honda careening into the southbound lane of the highway where it slammed into the Range Rover, Reck said in a press release.

The Honda sat on the side of the highway, its rear completely demolished, which you can see in the video at the top of this story.

The tow truck than struck the utility pole on the northbound side of the highway.

Anais Juarez, 20, of Matawan, was driving the Range Rover with her younger brother and sister in the car when the crash occurred. She said the Honda and the tow truck collided first, sending the Honda barreling into her vehicle.

Shortly after, she heard an explosion as the power line came crashing down and first responders later ordered her to leave the scene, fearing the fuel truck might erupt.

"I was just trying to get out of the way," she said in an interview near the crash site. "It just happened so fast and the adrenaline kicks in and then everyone was screaming and telling us to move. We had to evacuate and had to leave everything there."

There was no fuel spill as a result of the crash or the fire and the driver of the tanker was not in the truck at the time, Reck said. A small area at the back of the tanker appeared to be burned.

The tanker was carrying 7,500 gallons of gasoline at the time, according to a Facebook post from Marlboro police.

Crews from Jersey Central Power and Light were at the scene to repair the downed line. There were sporadic power outages in the area, he said.

Reck said the road would remain closed for much of Tuesday afternoon while police clear the scene. Marlboro police patrolman David Stattel is investigating the crash.